


The Nature of Treasure

by TeaRoses



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-17
Updated: 2012-08-17
Packaged: 2017-11-12 08:31:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/488816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaRoses/pseuds/TeaRoses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flora is grown up now, and at university, but she hasn't forgotten Professor Layton.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nature of Treasure

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Cotton Candy Bingo prompt "treasure."

Professor Hershel Layton sat in his study in front of a stack of mail. Most of it was business, but he also saw Luke's handwriting on his weekly letter. Soon Luke would be studying at university. His father had promised him that. Listening to lectures in a mathematics class might not be quite as much fun as their days of adventuring together, but Luke had grown up now. And maybe Herschel Layton had grown up too, since he had taken his new position as a consultant at a security firm in a large city.

The letter underneath Luke's was also from someone he knew -- Flora. She was studying chemistry at university herself. Layton didn't hear from her quite as often as he did from Luke, but he looked forward to her letters just as much. She loved to talk about the puzzles they had solved when they were travelling, and still didn't hold back from scolding him for leaving her at home so much.

Perhaps that had been wrong, but if anything had happened to her she would never have grown up to be such a fine young lady. He was certain that someday she would be a great researcher as well. Layton was proud of her, but he almost never got to see her, and he missed her more than he liked to say. Sometimes he thought to himself that he should ask her out for tea and to talk about old times, or new times. But she was grown up now and might mistake it for a date. That would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? She had boys her own age at the university to meet with, didn't she? Though if she had a boyfriend she never talked about him.

When he opened the letter he was confused for a moment. There didn't seem to be anything on the page but lines in random lines and colors. Of course, Flora would send him a puzzle!

"A true gentleman leaves no puzzle unsolved," he said to himself. Then he remembered where he had seen something like this before. He began rummaging through his desk drawers until he found a sheet of red cellophane. When he put it over the letter he could make out words and a picture.

"Treasure Hunt" were the words, and the sketch was of the gate of his favorite local park, a huge place filled with gardens. Layton wasn't certain what was going on, but it sounded fun. He headed for the park.

When he got to the gate, no one was there. Uncertain what to do next, he began to examine the gate. Finally he found a small metal box attached to one of the gate's bars with a magnet. There was a piece of paper inside marked with several white squares and a blue square. He stared at it but could make no sense of it at first. When he went inside the park, carrying the paper with him, he realized the squares represented the park benches. Quickly he headed for the bench represented by the blue square.

On the bench he found another small box attached with a magnet to the bench's leg. This one also had a piece of paper in it, marked with a series of lines and circles. It took him only a moment to realize that they were the dots and dashes of Morse code. The extra challenge came when he realized the message was in Latin. His Latin was a bit rusty, but he was able to figure out that this was a description of a small gazebo at the edge of the park.

When he arrived, he found pieces of metal and wood scattered inside the small white structure. Being the master of puzzles that he was, it didn't take him too long to figure out how to fit them together.

They made a beautiful, ornately carved music box. When he opened it, it played "Believe Me If All These Endearing Young Charms," one of his favorite songs.

As the song ended, Flora stepped into the gazebo. Layton caught his breath. She was wearing a long white dress and had her hair in an elaborate braid. Flora was a grown woman, and a beautiful one. He couldn't believe he had overlooked that for so long.

"I'm sorry for making you put your present together yourself," she said. "But a true lady never deprives a gentleman of a puzzle."

"It was a lovely surprise, Flora," replied Layton, still gazing at her. "But why a music box, and why are you dressed so formally?"

"Because... well... I've always wanted to dance with you. And I didn't want to wait any longer."

Layton started the music box again and held out his arms. Flora moved close to him, her hands on his shoulders.

"A gentleman should know how to dance, but I don't do so very well," he confessed.

Flora simply smiled. As they swayed gently to the music, Layton inhaled the scent of her hair and contemplated the nature of treasure.


End file.
